DRIVE TIME
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A couple of ideas floating around the world's transportation industry might have some potential in Hawai'i.
In New York, the Metropolitan Transit Authority is considering whether to sell "naming rights" for some of its best-known subway stations. Corporations could buy the rights and name the famous transit stops any way they want. The city plans to spend the money on more transit improvements.
Imagine the possibilities.
Instead of the mechanical voices on our buses calling out the same old stops day after day, we could have a whole field of newly named stops.
I always thought that Aloha Airlines should buy naming rights to Aloha Stadium, so that the driver on the Saturday night express bus to UH football games could call out, "All aboard for the Aloha Aloha Stadium."
Everybody already calls TheBus' big transit center in Honolulu the Ala Moana stop, but with new naming rights the shopping center's owners could insist that all riders now ask to be dropped off at the "General Growth Properties/Ala Moana Transit Center." Those who refuse could be denied transfers.
Imagine how many people would get off the bus unexpectedly if the driver announced the Krispy Kreme stop. Think how much it would be worth to have the Middle Street bus depot renamed The Home Depot Depot. Picture a convenience store with its own Stop-N-Go stop. L&L could double its business with a drive-in bus stop. "Next stop: Zippy's" could take on a whole new meaning. Wal-Mart could have its own Super-stop on Ke'eaumoku Street.
A second suggestion comes from Melbourne, Australia, where taxi drivers are becoming tour guides under a new training plan.
Cabbies are being drilled in the historical, cultural, eating and shopping highlights of the city. Packed with tourism brochures, the cabs will even have the latest updates on sporting and cultural events flashed onto dashboard terminals.
A good idea. Taxi drivers are often the first contact point for visitors to our state, and you know what they say about first impressions.
With a little bit of training, our taxi drivers would make great ambassadors of aloha. It's probably a program that would pay more dividends than most of the other tourism efforts we spend money on.
Reach Mike Leidemann at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.
